Paradiso, Cork City
Happy new year to all my readers. As a traditional end-of-year wrap-up, I’ve compiled an overview of my foodie highlights in Ireland from 2024. From high-end restaurants to pub grub, from wine bars to casual cafes, here are just some of the places that really made an impression on me this past year.
As we're all acutely aware, the cost of living crisis has been particularly hard on the hospitality sector with some hugely popular places closing their doors this year. While some restaurants have risen and adapted to the occasion, others have responded by cutting corners while simultaneously raising prices. It's hard to blame them but these days it can be tricky to find real value for money and not walk away feeling unsatisfied and / or totally ripped off. For that reason, I want to give a shout-out to some of the places that are consistently doing it well. Here is my round up of some great places to eat and drink in Ireland in 2025.
Momo, Waterford City
2024 started with a bang in Cork city where we enjoyed two exceptional meals in Goldie and Paradiso, and added a new favourite wine bar, MacCurtain's, to our list. Momo in Waterford was as fantastic as everyone said, while we were also impressed by the Pepper Mill in Nenagh. The cosy Brewery Tap in Tullamore was my standout pub grub of the year, while back in Dublin, we were blown away by Host and Library Street. Fayrouz became our go-to spot for Middle Eastern food while the new Italian menu in Fallon & Byrne Wine Cellar had us return on more than one occasion. Piano Piano has been a terrific and popular addition to Rathgar village, while Parklife has firmly become our favourite neighbourhood café. Over a busy Christmas season, two restaurants really stood out: The Dunmore in Rathmines and Little Lemon in the city centre.
Apologies in advance for the Dublin-centric slant but as this is where I live and spend most of my time, it will feature a little more predominantly than other counties. Here's why these were my top picks in 2024…
Cork: great places to eat and drink in Ireland
Cork city
Cork is regularly lauded as a foodie's paradise and after spending a new year's break in the city, I'd have to concur.
There are any number of fantastic restaurants and a multitude of great pubs & bars, but three in particular really impressed us on this visit. We marked the start of 2024 with exceptional meals in Paradiso and Goldie.
Paradiso
Paradiso, Cork city
2024 was the year that we finally made it to Paradiso and you won't be surprised to hear that it was pretty sensational. Over the festive period they were offering a set tasting menu only for €68 with the option of adding a wine pairing for an additional €30 per person, or a wine pairing with aperitif at €35 - we chose the latter.
Paradiso has long been a gem on the Cork food scene. The brainchild of chef Denis Cotter, it opened in 1993 and quickly developed a reputation for its innovative and exciting vegetarian menus. With a focus on local, seasonal produce, the presentation of its dishes is exquisite, the flavours outstanding. Today, they also offer a vegan menu.
We really enjoyed the wine pairing - always a good opportunity to try unusual wines that we wouldn't normally order. At Paradiso, the focus is on natural or organic wines, well-paired to bring out the subtleties and flavours of each dish. Here's what we had:
Beetroot tartare, rice cracker & coconut tamarind broth
Carrot escabeche and citrus labneh
Smoked leek, fried capers and spiced butter
Pinenut and greens cannelloni, burnt onion broth, saffron - *this was the star of the show for us. I'm still dreaming about it.
Turnip, chestnut and mushroom galette, beet port gravy and sprouts.
Christmas pudding ice-cream, whiskey raisins and date crumb - *this was such a clever dish, replicating all of the flavours of this Christmas favourite
Paradiso, 16 Lancaster Quay, Mardyke, Cork, T12 AR24
Goldie
Goldie, Cork City
Research Goldie online and you'll see nothing but glowing reviews. Now I see why. We enjoyed a flawless meal from start to finish in this buzzy, exciting fish restaurant. Service is warm and friendly, the atmosphere relaxed and unfussy, while the food is nothing short of outstanding. Unsurprisingly they were awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
What I really loved about this place is its ethos of local sourcing, both for its seafood and artisan ingredients. They give a shout-out to all of their suppliers here and you'll note how many of them are based along the southern coastline. Fish and seafood is caught fresh each morning from small day boats so this dictates the evening menu which can change daily - seriously impressive.
Every dish is a work of art - beautifully presented in a vibrant palette of colours. But most importantly it tastes sublime. Here's what we had:
Pibil monk cheek with pickled red onion and salsa verde
Cod tail schnitzel with celeriac and gherkin remoulade.
Salt plaice fish cake with Ballycotton shrimps and brown mussel butter
Pan roast pollock with roast celeriac in tomato and lemongrass masala
We also heroically managed to fit in a dessert - spiced port pannacotta, caramelised apple and ginger crumble. It's also worth noting the focus on local craft beers and a small but unusual selection of wines, available by the glass, pichet and bottle.
Goldie, 128 Oliver Plunkett St, Centre, Cork, T12 X5P8
MacCurtain wine cellar
MacCurtain Wine Cellar
Exploring the beautiful Victorian Quarter on our last afternoon, we spotted this very inviting looking spot on the corner. What a fantastic little place this is, and absolutely buzzing with life on a chilly Thursday. It's a family-run independent wine shop by day, doubling as a wine bar in the evenings. We were lucky to bag the last spot at the counter to enjoy some of their delicious wines & to chat with the friendly staff.
And what does one need with a glass of wine? Why a giant chunk of Delice de Bourgogne (a triple cream cheese, no less...) with a cranberry, port & orange jam. Basically Christmas on a cheese board. In addition to some carefully-chosen wines by the glass, you can also pick a bottle off the shelf for an additional corkage charge of €15. It's a place to linger for hours, sipping, nibbling and chatting.
MacCurtain Wine Cellar, 11 MacCurtain Street, Victorian Quarter, Cork, T23 FR66
Link to read my full Cork write-up here
Dublin: great places to eat and drink in Ireland
Dublin City
Fayrouz
Fayrouz, Dublin 8
Fayrouz was probably my most frequented restaurant in Dublin in 2024, and the one I've recommended to anyone who will listen. An unexpected location in the heart of the Liberties makes it all the more surprising when you walk through the door to be greeted by those wonderful smells of the Middle East. It's surrounded by concrete jungle but inside, the atmosphere is cosy and intimate. The place is always buzzing, its tables occupied by a mix of young and old, hipsters and tourists, but the vibe is mainly local - a multicultural hub in the heart of the city. In a divided world, it feels like a microcosm of the ideal city with a broad mix of ethnicities and backgrounds conversing and enjoying good food together. Staff are friendly & welcoming, and the service is always excellent.
Here's where you need to come to feast on some of the best Lebanese food in the city. Every dish is mouth-wateringly good and made with the freshest, zingiest ingredients. Order a Mezza and each option comes beautifully presented in individual colourful dishes. The Vegetarian Mezza is excellent with a better-than-usual variety of options including a divine avocado & red pepper hummus, grilled halloumi, baba ghanoush, falafel, vine leaves, a deliciously salty arayess cheese and tabbouleh. If you can squeeze in a sweet treat, the Baklava is outstanding. Make sure to arrive hungry. The portions are generous. It's excellent value for money & BYO too, with no corkage charge to date. It's become a regular haunt for us. A little gem.
Tip: order the Halloumi Fries - they're a staff favourite and you will absolutely not want to share them.
Fayrouz restaurant, 117 Cork St, The Liberties, Dublin 8, D08 ER24
Fallon & Byrne
Fallon & Byrne Wine Cellar
This has been one of my favourite spots in Dublin for as long as I can remember. Inviting, buzzy and intimate, it's a place to linger over too many glasses of vino. I've included it here due to its recently revamped menu. A move from French casual-bistro style fare to Italian was always going to be a risky one but it's paid off and I've enjoyed some terrific meals here in 2024. The menu is seasonal offering sharing plates of cheese and charcuterie, nibbles, starters, mains and desserts. To start, opt for the Rosemary and Sea Salt focaccia with olive oil, and a deliciously creamy Burrata. Their take on the Roman pastas is a revelation - I'd go so far as to say the Cacio e Pepe is one of the best in the city.
Tip: Corkage is €1 on Mondays
Fallon & Byrne Wine Cellar, 11-17, Exchequer St, basement, Dublin, D02 RY63
Host
Host, Ranelagh
I finally paid my first visit to Ranelagh hotspot Host in 2024, courtesy of a birthday treat from my husband. It quickly became clear why this place is so popular - our meal was flawless from start to finish. The menu offers seasonal small plates designed for sharing and every dish was top-notch. Even the bread was exceptional - light as air and served with a beautifully peppery olive oil.
I've never met a Burrata I didn't like, but not all are created equal. Host's is possibly the best I've had to date, ridiculously creamy and served with peaches and basil. Controversial statement I know, considering I spent two weeks this summer in Puglia, home of the Burrata. High praise, I know.
Other highlights included shitake mushroom arancini ( oh my...) and two stunning handmade pastas: tagliatelle with beef shin ragu, and pumpkin cappellacci with walnut and sage and possibly a little butter.
The wine list is a step beyond the norm with some interesting options to choose from. White lovers can enjoy a white Rioja, Verdejo or an Etna Bianca while on the red side, expect a Bobal from Valencia, a Douro or, for a larger table, opt for a litre of Barbera. Wines start from a reasonable €7.50 a glass or €32 (bottle).
Host, 13 Ranelagh, Dublin, D06 V0C1
Library Street
An outrageously good meal at Library Street was my return birthday treat for Martin. Located on a side street in the heart of Dublin 2, its red-brick façade was most inviting on a chilly September evening. Inside, the atmosphere was buzzy and vibrant, making good use of the large urban space - big groups are kept to one side with couples and small groups on the other. Menus are seasonal and made up of sharing plates. Irish produce is king, with a nod to France and Italy. It tastes like fine dining but without any of the fuss or pretentions.
The sign above the door says "everything is meant to be shared"... However, some things you will definitely not want to share, like the pumpkin risotto with crispy sage. I could happily eat that every day for the rest of my life. And something else happened at Library Steet - the start of a new obsession with cabbage, of all things... So my advice is: don't skip the sides. We took a punt on the chargrilled cabbage with kimchi and dukkah - oh my! Who knew cabbage could taste like that?
The dessert was the pièce de résistance - warm, buttery, flaky croissant with the juiciest strawberries. Add ice-cream to said croissant & watch it melt between the layers. Add strawberries & devour.
Library Street deserves all the good reviews. We’ll definitely be back.
Library Street, 101 Setanta Pl, Dublin 2, D02 W3Y7
Little Lemon, Dublin 2
Little Lemon, Dublin 2
Dining out at Christmas in Dublin can be a hit-and-miss affair. Think ridiculously pricey set 'Christmas' menus, stressed-out staff, mixed-up orders and frequent reminders of the time restrictions at your table. Not so at Little Lemon. On the busiest Friday in December, all was chilled out and calm, despite the place being full to capacity. Décor is classy and gorgeous, tastefully decorated for the festive season, while staff were warm, friendly and incredibly efficient, keeping on top of multiple orders with ease, and accommodating the late arrival of a friend.
Menus are tapas-style and designed for sharing - my favourite way to eat. Between six people, we probably sampled every dish on the menu. And can I just say - every single one was excellent. Standouts were the Gambas Pil-Pil served with warm ciabatta, fried halloumi with incredibly flavoursome honey, fish cakes with a fascinating side of Nduja aioli and the Croquetas de Jamón. Even the Prosciutto & Pear Salad was top-notch.
The wine is excellent and wide-ranging, with glasses from €7.50 and bottles from €29. I have no doubt that this will become a regular haunt in 2025.
Little Lemon, 19/20 Royal Hibernian Way, Duke Lane Upper, Dublin 2 Dublin 2, Dublin, D02 K772
Parklife Cafe
Parklife Café, Dublin 12
A sign on the window said something along the lines of 'well don't stand outside gawping. Come in"... So I did what I was told and it's become our favourite neighbourhood café ever since. Located just minutes from our house, I can't believe we only discovered it this year. Open daily for breakfast and brunch / lunch, this is a little gem of a café. Pop in for an excellent coffee, courtesy of Dublin-based roastery Cloudpicker, and treat yourself to one of their whopper almond croissants. Or linger over a leisurely brunch - try the halloumi bap with scrambled egg and lemony potatoes - you won't regret it.
They also stock a range of popular Irish produce like Harry's Nut Butter and Rua Foods.
Parklife Café, Clogher Rd, Harold's Cross, Dublin, D12 RX06
Piano Piano
Piano Piano, Dublin 6
It's always an occasion when a new Italian comes to town, particularly when it's my part of town. But as someone who spends a lot of time in Italy, my standards are high when it comes to Italian food so I greeted its arrival with a healthy skepticism. After reading some positive reviews online, we decided to give it a shot. And boy, were we glad we did.
Standout antipasti include the polpette in tomato sauce, and arancini. The fillings in the latter change frequently - sometimes fish, sometimes meat, but the best so far was the spicy nduja arancini in pistachio pesto. It was sublime - one of the best I've had.
Italian restaurants can live or die on the quality of their pasta dishes, and rightly so. At Piano Piano, pasta is homemade daily, which makes all the difference. But how do they fare with those four classic Roman dishes, where simplicity is key, as is the quality of the ingredients. These were the testers for us, and I'm happy to report that they nailed both the Amatriciana and the notoriously tricky Carbonara. For something a little less traditional try the Spaghetti Nduja, Prawns & Ricotta - it's a taste explosion.
Desserts include the usual suspects like tiramisu and affogato, while the ice-cream selection varies from week to week. I really enjoyed the flavour combination of saffron & pistachio gelato - subtle, unusual and ridiculously creamy.
It's pricier than your average Italian but I guess that's to be expected in affluent Rathgar. However, it's worth noting that their wine list is great & very reasonably priced, starting at €28, with a decent bottle of Primitivo for €33. They also make a mean Negroni.
Piano Piano, 3/5 Orwell Rd, Rathgar, Dublin 6
The Dunmore
Prawn pil-pil at The Dunmore
If walls could talk...This building has had many different iterations over the years. 90s kids will recall the infamous Station while those who hung out in Rathmines in the 2000s will fondly remember late nights and dancing in Toast. Next up was the live music venue The Bowery. These days it's a bit more glamourous - a fabulous neighourhood bar and restaurant with comfy leather booths, excellent food and terrific staff. Oh, and they also do a mean line in cocktails. Their Negroni is a triumph but the Cherry Baby comes a close second.
We've eaten here twice in the past few months, once for dinner and once for Christmas Eve lunch with friends which was the clincher. Despite the vast urban warehouse style space, they've somehow managed to make it feel cosy and intimate with exposed red brick walls and well-chosen contemporary artwork. High tables run the length of the bar on one side, with comfy seating at the front for drinks, and the prime spot for dining has leather booths at the back.
We've been really impressed with the quality of the food on both occasions. First time around we availed of the regular A La Carte dinner menu. We loved the whipped smoked almond cheese with heirloom tomatoes (light as air and absolutely delicious) and the crab claws (sweet and fresh with hunks of sourdough for dipping in the garlic butter). On a chilly evening, the hearty seafood pie hit the spot, while the always popular Sunday roast got a massive thumbs-up.
Second time around, it was Christmas Eve lunch with friends. The place was absolutely hopping and at full capacity, with large family groups chatting animatedly and kids running around, high on the festive vibes (and possibly sugar...) Yet the service was flawless and calm. Staff seemed in good spirits, despite the constant flow of people, and the food had not varied in quality from our earlier visit (not always the case with set Christmas menus).
The prawn pil-pil is to die for, with chargrilled sourdough for dunking into the spicy sauce. The halibut steak was meaty, yet flaked away with a fork, and served on a bed of polenta, with mushroom fricassée, crab & orange butter. Vegetarians will love the Chermoula, potato and spinach pie, while the fire roasted guinea fowl will keep the meat-eaters happy. If you can squeeze in a dessert, make it the Sticky Toffee pudding, but the chocolate fondamt comes a close second.
The wine list is comprehensive and interesting (we loved the Italian Foradori above) with glasses from €7.50, carafes from €24 and bottles from €30. Think this might become our new Christmas Eve ritual.
The Dunmore, 196 Rathmines Rd Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6, D06 AY77
Offaly: great places to eat and drink in Ireland
Brewery Tap Gastro Pub
Brewery Tap, Tullamore
Another work trip brought me back on home turf to the midlands, this time to Tullamore. The Brewery Tap is everything I want from a pub on a cold winter’s night: an open fire, top-notch food, an inviting atmosphere & friendly service. Every dish was excellent & portions are huge so arrive hungry. Fish & chips were excellent - the beer batter was light and not at all greasy, served with chunky chips, homemade tartare sauce and crushed garden peas (this made me happy. I despise marrowfat peas...) Thumbs up all round for the burger, chicken wings, vegetable jalfrezi and the prawn curry.
My expectations are low when it comes to wine offerings in pubs but a decent glass of Malbec was a pleasant surprise. I could’ve stayed here all night but work beckoned the next morning. We left with promises to come back again soon.
Brewery Tap Gastro Pub, 1 High St, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, R35 P761
Tipperary: great places to eat and drink in Ireland
Pepper Mill restaurant and wine bar
Pepper Mill, Nenagh
Visitors to the Pepper Mill can expect an elevated bistro menu with zingy fresh flavours and creative combinations. Standout dishes included some truly delectable corn fritters, and a moreish cod on spelt risotto. Food is beautifully presented and the atmosphere is buzzy and relaxed, with friendly staff.
Pepper Mill Restaurant and Wine Bar, Kenyon St, Nenagh North, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
Waterford: great places to eat and drink in Ireland
Momo
Momo, Waterford City
An evening in Momo was the perfect antidote to a dreary wet evening in late January. A flawless meal was to follow - one which we've been talking about all year. It deserves the acclaim and the multiple awards it's accumulated since opening. Here's what we liked: cool décor, exceptional food, and that perfect balance of attentive but not intrusive service. Described as "locally sourced and seasonally inspired", menus are endlessly inventive with excellent vegetarian and vegan options. Think a vegan take on a Waterford pulled pork blaa, and you get the idea. A personal highlight was a monkfish dish served with prawns & mussels in a comforting chili broth that I wanted to drink from the bowl. The chicken and chorizo pasta got a massive thumbs-up from my work pal, though he wouldn't share with me...
I had already decided what dessert to order before I’d eaten my main. I cannot resist poached pears but this was a whole new level, with crumble, ice-cream & caramel. Divine!
The whole vibe is relaxed and friendly and I wanted to linger & drink more wine. However, we were on a work trip and work beckoned early the next day. Next time for sure. It's a little gem so do yourself a favour and put it on your list in 2025!
Momo Restaurant, 47 Patrick St, Waterford, X91 DX49
I'm always looking for new recommendations so if there's anywhere around the country that you think I need to check out in 2025, please let me know.
Bon appetit,
xx
Comentários